Facing the high demand for faster and heavier freight trains in Australia, researchers and practitioners are endeavouring to develop more innovative and sustainable ballasted tracks. In recent years, many studies have been conducted by the researchers from Transport Research Centre at the University of Technology Sydney to examine the feasibility of incorporating recycled tyre/rubber into rail tracks. This paper reviews three innovative applications using recycled tyre products such as using recycled tyre cells to reinforce capping layer, granulate rubber mixed with ballast (Rubber Intermixed Ballast System - RIBS), and under ballast mats based on the trest results obtained from the large-scale triaxial apparatus, the process simulation prismoidal triaxial apparatus (PSPTA), and the plate load test facility.
The test results reveal that the incorporation of these rubber products could increase the energy absorbing capacity of the track, mitigates the ballast breakage and settlement significantly, hence increasing the track stability. The research outcomes will facilitate a better understanding of the performance of ballast tracks incorporating these resilient waste tyre materials while promoting more economic and environmentally sustainable tracks for greater passenger comfort and increased safety.

railway degradation; recycled rubber; energy absorbing layers